When you run a small business it is important to have a steady flow of work. So many small business owners concentrate on new customers. Bringing new clients in so the business can grow and ensure that there is new work to dive into. One of the most critical things you can do as a small business owner is to retain your clients. Let’s have a look at the importance of this and how you can actually keep them coming back to you for work.
Long term working relationships show that you care. You’re committed to the business you’re working with and the longer that relationship lasts, the more you learn about the business and move with it as it changes direction and tries new things. If you prove to the client that you are the individual or team to trust with that area of their business and this goes on for a number of months or years, they clearly appreciate the work you do and would acknowledge it as a key area of their success.
Communication is a huge area of learning to trust third parties. Being open and honest; knowing what needs to happen and by when, whilst also being at the end of a phone should something go wrong. Don’t be afraid to challenge the decisions of the client, especially if it is to do with an area you’re working on. With that said, some of the best clients are the ones who you trust you to just get on. They trust your expertise. They don’t tell you how to do your job. They’re interested yes, but they understand that you are a professional and they trust that.
Businesses put a lot of man hours into gaining clients in the first place but the retention part often falls by the wayside. Don’t run a business like that. Check in frequently, organise meetings and maybe even offer ideas outside of the area you’re involved with. The knowledge and interest in the business will shine through and they’ll stay with you on a long term basis. You could even send them a branded calendar at Christmas for the new year. Keep your business in their minds.
Let’s take a bookkeeper for example. Whilst you may hire them to look after your accounts, they have probably worked with a lot of other businesses, a variety of them too. They’ll have seen some companies fail and fold whilst others have grown wings and soared high. They can offer advice with that knowledge and experience and might just let you know if they think you could do something in a more effective or efficient way.
Once you start to show your worth to clients and they see that with a positive impact on their business, they’ll stick with you and even sing your praises with word of mouth recommendations. Client retention is so important. So do what you can to keep hold of them.
